Collapsible cartons



I April 12, 1955 BUTTERY 2,706,075

COLLAPSIBLE CARTONS Filed Aug. 19, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

April 1955 K. T. BUTTERY 2,706,075

COLLAPSIBLE CARTONS Filed Aug. 19, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 fl l 1' AW; 1 f *4? A? u, INVEN TOR.

@m we United States {Patent COLLAPSIBLE CARTONS Kenneth T. Buttery, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor to Sutherland Paper Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application August 19, 1949, Serial No. 111,317

6 Claims. (Cl. 229-28) This invention relates to improvements in collapsible cartons.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a collapsible partitioned carton formed of an integral blank which may be easily and quickly erected and one in which the walls are eifectively supported when in erected position.

Second, to provide a carton formed of an integral blank which is very compact when collapsed and at the same time easily and quickly set up.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an erected carton embodying my invention provided with a transparent wrapping, contents being conventionally indicated therein.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 without the wrapping.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on a line corresponding to line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the blank in extended position with adhesive conventionally illustrated thereon.

Fig. 5 is a plan view illustrating one of the steps in producing the carton.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom view of the carton in which the parts of the blank which are secured together prior to erection have been connected.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view with the parts connected as shown in Fig. 6

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of blank with modified form of locking tongues and slits and one in which the corner flaps are on the end walls instead of on the side walls as in Figs. 1 to 7, inelusive.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the carton f mbcdying the structural features shown in the blank of The carton of my invention is desirably formed of an integral blank, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and designatedgenerally by the numeral 1. The rear side of the blank is shown in this figure in order to better illustrate the parts to which adhesive is applied. The carton of my invention comprises complementary bottom members 22 which are spaced apart and connected in the blank by the longitudinal partition members 3--3. These partition members are hingedly connected at their upper edges as indicated by the dash lines at 4, their bottom edges being hingedly connected to the inner edges of the bottom members 2 by the hinging scores 55.

The bottom members are provided with complementary end wall members 6 and 7 at each end, the members 6 having glue extensions 8 at their inner ends. The side walls 9 are at the side edges of the blank and are hingedly connected at 10 to the outer edges of the bottom memr0 bers 2. The end wall members 6 and 7 are hingedly connected to their respective bottom members by the hinging scores 11. The side walls are provided with corner flaps 12 hingedly connected thereto at 13. These corner flaps have diagonally disposed slits 14 providing tongues 15 engageable with the diagonally disposed slits 16 in the end wall members. These slits 16 open to the end edges of the end walls and are adapted to receive the bottom edges of the corner flaps with the tongues 15 in interlocking engagement with the upper edges of the slits as is shown at the right hand end of Fig. 2. This corner flap and slit engagement is generally similar to that shown in my application for patent filed December 29, 1945, Serial No. 638,165, new Patent No. 2,488,703.

The bottom members are provided with U-shaped slits 17 providing tongue-like transverse partition members 18 adapted to swing to erected position between the longitudinal partition constituted by the partition members 3 when they are adhesively secured together as indicated by the adhesive 20. The transverse partition members 18 may be swung to erected position between the longitudinal partition and the adjacent side Walls.

In preparing the blank for erecting, the adhesive 20 is applied to the rear side of one of the longitudinal partition members, as viewed in the blank, and adhesive 21 is also applied to the extensions 8 of the end member 6. The blank is then folded on the hinge connection 4 for the longitudinal partition members which brings the longitudinal partition members into side by side reiation and results in their being adhesively secured as a unitary longitudinal partition. The overlying part of the blank is then folded backwardly on the hinging connection of the superimposed bottom member to the longitudinal partition which results in adhering the end wall member 7 to the extension 8 of the end wall member 6. The parts are then connected so that they ap pear as in Fig. 6 viewed from the bottom or in Fig. 7 viewed from the top.

The same result could be secured by folding on the hinging line 4 with the bottom members extending in opposite direction and in such folding the longitudinal partition members and the end members are simultaneously secured, but this operation is somewhat more diflicult to perform by machinery. With the parts as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the carton is erected by swinging the longitudinal partition to upright position, as shown in Fig. 2, and by erecting the side and end walls and engaging the corner flap tongues with the edges of the slits in the end walls.

When in erected position the end walls are efiectively supported against inward thrust by the longitudinal partition so that the wrapper, as indicated at 22 may be applied and effectively end sealed as shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 1 articles 23 are indicated in the pockets resulting from the longitudinal and transverse partitions.

In the modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the structure is the same as that illustrated and described with the exception that the corner flaps 24 are provided on the end wall, these corner flaps having tongues 25 engageable with slits 26 in the side walls positioned to coact therewith. While the preferred embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has advantages in the matter of facilitating the erection and effective holding of the parts in interlocking position, the embodiments of Figs. 8 and 9 are shown as being one practical form or modification of my invention.

I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other modifications or adaptations which I contemplate as it is believed that. this disclosure will enable those skilled in Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

a l.-A collapsible carton formed of an integral blank andcomprising complementary bottom members, complernentary end members hingedly connected to the ends of the bottom members, longitudinal partition members hingedly connected to each other at their upper edges and hingedly connected at their bottom edges to the inner edges of the bottom members, the partition members being disposed in side by side relation and secured together and while so secured being collapsible on one of the bottorn members, the adjacent ends of said end wall members being overlapped and secured together when the end wall members and partition members are in collapsed} and erected positions, side walls hingedly connectedxto the'outer edges of the bottom members, and corner flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the side walls and adaptedffor retaining engagement with the end walls, each bottoin member having longitudinally spaced U shaped slits tli erein providing tongue-like transverse partition elements swingable to an upright position between the adjacent side wall and the longitudinal partition, the hinge lines of said transverse partition members to the bottom members being disposed substantially at right angles to the hinge line of the longitudinal partition members to the bottom members, said longitudinal partition members when collapsed on one of said bottom members being disposed in superimposed relation to the transverse partition members formed in said bottom mem- 2. A collapsible carton comprising complementary bottom members, complementary end members hingedly connected to the ends of the bottom members, longitudinal partition members hingedly connected to each other at their upper edges and hingedly connected at their bottom edges to the inner edges of the bottom members, the partition members being fixedly secured together in side by side parallel relation against hinged action relative to each other and being collapsible in such relation on one of the bottom members, the inner ends of said end wall members being fixedly secured together to provide unitary end walls when the end wall members and partition members are in collapsed and erected positions, side walls hingedly connected to the outer edges of the bottom members, and corner flaps connecting said side and end walls when the carton is erected, each bottom member having U-shaped slits therein providing transverse partition elements swingable to an upright position between the adacent side wall and the longitudinal partition, said carton in a collapsed position prior to the erection thereof having said partition members fixedly secured together in side by side relation and collapsed on one of said bottom members in superimposed re ation to the transverse partition elements therein and having said end wall members fixedly secured to each er.

3. In a collapsible carton structure formed of an integral blank, in combination complementary bottom members, complementary end members hingedly connected to the ends of the bottom members, side Walls hingedly connected to the outer edges of the bottom members, longitudinal partition members connected to each other at their upper edges and hingedly connected at their bottom edges to the inner edges of the bottom members, said partition members being disposed in side by side relation and being collapsible in such relation on one of the bottom members, the complementary end members at each end of the carton being lapped upon each other and fixedly connected to each other in such relation, said bottom members having longitudinally spaced U-shaped slits therein providing tongue-like partition elements swingable to an upright position, the hinge connections of said transverse partition elements to the bottom members being disposed substantially at right angles to the hinge line of the partition members to the bottom members, said partition members when collapsed on one of said bottom members being disposed in superimposed relation to the transverse partition members formed in said bottom mem- 4. A collapsible carton formed of an integral blank and comprising a bottom consisting of bottom members disposed edge to edge, a longitudinal partition consisting of partition members disposed in the blank between the bottom members and foldably connected to each other at their upper edges and hingedly connected at their bottom edges to the adjacent edges of the bottom members, said partition members being disposed in side by,s'ide relation and adhesively secured adjacent their bottom edges to fixedly connect the partition members to each other and the bottom members in edge to edge relation and to constitute a reinforcing member for the bottom, end walls consisting of complementary end members hingedly connected to the ends of the bottom members, one end member of each end wall being provided with an attaching extension at its inner end lapped upon and adhesively secured to the other end member of the end wall, side walls hingedly connected to the outer edges of the bottom members, and corner flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the side walls and detachably engageable with the end walls, the side and end walls being collapsible when corner members are disengaged and the partition being collapsible upon the bottom.

5. A collapsible carton comprising a bottom consisting of bottom members disposed in edge to edge relation to each other, a longitudinal partition consisting of partition members foldably connected to each other at their upper edges and hingedly connected at their bottom edges to the adjacent edges of the bottom members, said partition members being fixedly connected to each other in side by side relation to fixedly hold the bottom members in edge to edge relation and to constitute a reinforcing member for the bottom, the partition being collapsible upon the bottom, end walls consisting of complementary end members hingedly connected to the ends of the bottom members, one end member of each end Wall being provided with an attaching extension at its inner end secured to the other end member of the end wall, side walls hingedly connected to the outer edges of the bottom members, and corner flaps detachably connecting the side and end walls, the side and end walls being collapsible when corner members are disengaged.

6. A collapsible carton comprising a bottom including complementary bottom members disposed in edge to edge relation to each other, a longitudinal partition consisting of partition members hingedly connected at their bottom edges to the adjacent edges of the bottom members, said partition members being fixedly connected to each other in side by side relation to fixedly hold the bottom members in edge to edge relation, the partition being collapsible upon the bottom, complementary end wall members hingedly connected to the ends of the bottom members, one end member being provided with an attaching extension at its inner end fixedly secured to the other end wall member, and side walls collapsibly connected to the bottom members, said side and end walls being collapsibly connected to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 567,897 Girard Sept. 15, 1896 976,318 Vernon Nov. 22, 1910 1,028,438 Cohon June 4, 1912 2,007,697 Usher July 9, 1935 2,046,485 Ringler July 7, 1936 2,079,815 Ringler May 11, 1937 2,335,490 Deline .Nov. 30, 1943 2,488,703 Buttery Nov. 22, 1949 2,488,706 Buttery Nov. 22, 1949 2,500,848 McMillan Mar. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 170,263 Germany May 1, 1906 375,281 Great Britain Dec. 19, 1930 519,612 Germany Mar. 2, 1931 807,106 France Oct. 12, 1936 

